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  Children in day care range in age, and finding a way to keep everyone satisfied can be challenging. Stimulate active minds and satiate restlessness with arts and crafts projects. Using the alphabet, numbers one to ten, natural materials and family photos as a basis for activities makes things fun and personal. It's helpful and resourceful to use everyday household items and explore your immediate day care environment for supplies. Having fun doesn't need to cost day care providers a lot of money. Utilizing the Internet for ideas is an easy way to gather various options.
  
  

Animal Alphabet Art

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  Alphabet art gives children 26 opportunities to pick their favorite animals and make a craft project representative of that animal. Students choose their favorite letters and then select an animal that corresponds with that letter. Using construction paper they cut out the letter and glue or tape it to the center of the page. Then they use magazines for pictures or make color images themselves around the letter with markers and crayons. When all kids are finished, gather them in a circle and have them share their animals and explain why they like them.
  
  

Self-Portait

• Instruct kids (and their parents) to bring in a happy picture of themselves. Large pads of white paper, easels, washable paints and brushes are necessary to complete this project. Have kids tape their picture on the wall next to them or attach it to the bottom of the easel, in case they need to jump-start an image of themselves in their minds. Suggest that they pick colors they feel represent how they see themselves--red for happy, blue for sad, green for curious and so on. Younger children may enjoy using finger paints rather than a brush. The portraits don't need to be accurate; what's important is that the kids use colors that match their feelings and are encouraged to express themselves fully.
  
  

Nature Craft Projects

• Using what's outside your front and back doors to entertain, educate and occupy children is as simple as having grass. If you care for a large number of kids, pair them up and head into the backyard. Help them find grass, twigs, leaves, rocks and flowers or flower petals that they can glue or tape to pieces of cardboard. Baggie and trash bag ties work well with securing twigs and can easily be punched through the cardboard by an adult and then knotted on the back. Consider completing the project outside if you have the space. Encourage kids to choose their favorite book or story, and create a picture that reflects a character or location in that story. Pipe cleaners, crayons, markers, Popsicle sticks, glue, tape and kid-friendly scissors are all helpful tools. The insides of cereal boxes make good cardboard backings.